The figure was slightly stout, just enough to block Shen Yun’s reading light.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have paid attention.
“Brother Yun, you’re so amazing. What are you reading?” Zhao Hai’e leaned in with a dark face, seemingly wanting to take a look.
Shen Yun frowned, “You don’t even know what I’m reading, how can you say I’m amazing?”
Zhao Hai’e was rendered speechless, and she nervously fiddled with the hem of her clothes, looking at another figure beside her.
“Sister Xiaohua, I, I didn’t, Brother Yun, I…”
Shen Yun looked up and said in a deep voice, “Your surname is Zhao, mine is Shen. Our families are not related. Please, Miss Zhao, address me as Scholar Shen.”
Brother Yun, his wife hadn’t even called him that yet.
No, after hearing Zhao Hai’e call him that, he found the address unbearable.
He was more accustomed to her calling him “Shen Yun” with her usual haughtiness when she was at ease.
When they had something to discuss or were in front of others, she would affectionately call him “husband.”
“Brother… Scholar, my… my father said this is Zhao Family Village, and everyone in the village is like siblings.
I, I, your newly built house looks really nice.”
After being rebuffed by Shen Yun, Zhao Hai’e experienced a brief moment of disappointment, but quickly perked up under Zhao Xiaohua’s encouraging gaze.
Shen Yun did not argue with Zhao Hai’e about the address anymore.
She was right; her father was the village head.
Until he returned to the capital, he had to live here, relying on her father’s protection.
There was no need to strain their relationship.
But he really didn’t have the mood to talk much with them.
The rare book in his hand was lent to him by Old Mr. Gu.
He had to finish reading it quickly and memorize it.
He had specifically chosen an opportunity to read it when he was with Su Xiaoqi.
Because he realized that every time he was with her,
whether he was reading or painting, his mind was exceptionally clear.
It was as if he had consumed some ginseng elixir,
his reading efficiency was exceptionally high, almost to the point of photographic memory.
Shen Yun’s lack of response did not deter Zhao Hai’e.
She pointed at Su Xiaoqi, who was chatting with a group of grimy middle-aged men, and said with contempt,
“Scholar Brother, look at your wife. She’s incorrigible, a flirt who tries to seduce men wherever she goes…”
“Stop it, Miss Zhao…” Shen Yun couldn’t stand it any longer. His expression turned cold, and he interrupted her sternly.
Zhao Xiaohua, standing nearby, quickly pulled Zhao Hai’e back.
She also bowed to Shen Yun and apologized, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. Sister Hai’e is young and doesn’t know any better. She’s straightforward and speaks without thinking…”
Zhao Xiaohua was in the middle of speaking earnestly.
Su Xiaoqi suddenly stepped forward and sneered,
“Being young is a good thing, and being straightforward isn’t bad, but speaking ill of others behind their backs is unacceptable. Be careful, be careful, I’ll report you to the authorities for defamation.”
She was impatient with Zhao Hai’e constantly staring at her and deliberately used the threat of the authorities to scare her.
However, Zhao Hai’e was stubborn.
Upon hearing this, she broke free from Zhao Xiaohua’s grasp, puffed out her chest, and stepped forward, tilting her chin with a smug expression:
“Report me? Hahaha, go ahead and report me. My father is the village head, the most important person here.
My brother-in-law is the county magistrate, and this entire county is under his jurisdiction.
Why should I be afraid of you?”
Zhao Hai’e’s expression at that moment was as obnoxious as could be.
Su Xiaoqi rubbed her forehead in exasperation. She realized she couldn’t reason with Zhao Hai’e.
She was utterly unreasonable and had no idea what reasoning was.
She glared at Shen Yun, implying that he should deal with the romantic entanglements he attracted.
She had neither the mood nor the time to clean up his mess.
She turned and walked away.
This made Zhao Hai’e, who thought she had the upper hand, even more displeased.
She quickly followed, chasing after Su Xiaoqi and incessantly boasting about how powerful their family was.
After chasing for a long distance, Su Xiaoqi looked back and couldn't see Shen Yun anymore. Only then did she grit her teeth and start cursing.
“Hey, please give bragging rights back to cows. Why can’t you just be a good person instead of bragging like this? What the hell, you’re sick.”
“What the f***, you ignorant b****, how dare you curse at me.” Zhao Hai’e immediately found an opportunity to throw a tantrum.
She stepped forward, intending to grab Su Xiaoqi’s arm and argue with her through actions and behavior.
Su Xiaoqi was not easily caught. She had already dodged aside.
Zhao Hai’e lunged forward, missed, and with her slightly plump body, charged at Su Xiaoqi again.
Su Xiaoqi rolled her eyes and dodged around an old locust tree.
Several times, Zhao Hai’e, rushing too fast, couldn't brake in time and crashed into the tree.
The pain made her wince, unable to even cry.
“Hai’e, you’re hurt, let’s go.” Zhao Xiaohua had been talking to Shen Yun in the background all this time.
Seeing that the situation here was not right, she came up to help pull Zhao Hai’e away.
Her cousin had a difficult temperament.
If she suffered a loss at Su Xiaoqi’s hands later,
she wouldn’t blame herself but would blame Zhao Xiaohua.
“Sister Xiaohua, you came just in time. You, help me beat her.”
Zhao Hai’e angrily pushed Zhao Xiaohua forward.
“Oh no…” Zhao Xiaohua saw Shen Yun putting away his book and walking over from a distance.
How could she do something so undignified as fighting in front of the man she admired?
But Zhao Hai’e was not to be refused.
When she went mad, she would even hit her.
So, she took advantage of Zhao Hai’e’s push and fell to the ground herself.
And before Zhao Hai’e could lose her temper, she leaned in and whispered,
“Don’t forget your plan. This is a good opportunity, hurry and speak.”
Zhao Hai’e suddenly realized, poked Su Xiaoqi with her left index finger, and said, “Do you dare to have a match with me?”
Su Xiaoqi stepped forward and slapped her finger away, coldly snorting, “What do you want to compete in? Fighting?”
As she spoke, she cracked her knuckles.
A crisp sound of bones clicking echoed from her ten slender fingers.
Zhao Hai’e’s heart tightened.
But thinking of how long she had planned for this, she naturally wouldn’t give up.
She quickly stated her plan.
She wanted to ask Su Xiaoqi to come to the end of the village at dusk, when the lamps were lit, today.
“We’ll have a fight. If I win, you, you get out of the way and leave Brother Yun to me.”
Su Xiaoqi looked at her in surprise and couldn’t help but ask, “What if I win?”
“You won’t win, okay. Well, if you do win, I, I’ll just not bother Brother Yun for a month.”
Su Xiaoqi let out a snort and chuckled.
She pointed at Zhao Hai’e, feeling like she wanted to be angry but couldn’t.
Truly, you live long enough to see anything.
Zhao Hai’e’s father, Zhao Baoren, was such a shrewd and capable person.
How could he have such a foolish and dull-witted daughter?
“Hmph, it’s settled then. Whoever dares not to come is a son of a b****.”
Tsk, her words were both vicious and unpleasant.
Su Xiaoqi snorted coldly and leisurely walked back home.
Whoever took those words seriously was the loser!
Seeing her walk away, the Zhao sisters began to chat.
“Sister Xiaohua, do you think she agreed just now? What if she doesn’t come?”
Zhao Xiaohua lowered her head and rolled her eyes.
She cursed inwardly, you silly girl, you said you had a secret to tell her.
But it turned into a fight in your mouth.
Her brain wasn’t damaged; she would be crazy to come to a fight at night.
But Zhao Hai’e didn’t like to hear this.
She thought for a moment, her eyes rolling, “Whether she comes or not, you still have to make arrangements.
It’s getting late, hurry and notify them to get ready.”
These words immediately shifted Zhao Hai’e’s attention.
She got up from the ground, dragging her bruised and battered body towards Zhao Guanggun’s thatched hut.